Man City secure stars on long-term contracts

Bernardo Silva is not the only recent signing to win a long-term contract extension with Premier League champions Manchester City.

Manchester City's planning for the long-term continued when Bernardo Silva penned a contract extension until June 2025 on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola's squad stormed to a 100-point total as they won the Premier League last season and remain in contention across all major competitions this time around, having retained the EFL Cup last month.

Amid fleeting reports linking him to Juventus last week, Guardiola expressed a desire to possibly stay beyond the expiration of his own deal in 2021.

Silva's signing is the latest move in a clear policy at the Etihad Stadium to tie down their brightest talents for their peak years.

A £43.5million signing from Monaco in May 2017, Silva has truly come to the fore this season. The Portugal playmaker's superb form and versatility means Kevin De Bruyne's injury woes have not hindered City to any significant extent. A Guardiola favourite, his initial deal ran until 2022.

Ederson (age 25, contracted until 2025)

A sharp, fearless shot-stopper, Ederson's composure and skill on the ball felt like the final piece in the jigsaw for Guardiola, enabling City to fully take on their manager's style. Despite agreeing a six-year contract after joining from Benfica for £35m in June 2017, he confirmed an additional two years at the conclusion of last season.

The French centre-back has become Guardiola's 'Mr Dependable' at the heart of defence, mixing an elegant assurance on the ball with an imposing physical side to his game. A £57m recruit after City met Athletic Bilbao's release clause last January, Laporte bolted two more years on to his Manchester stay last month.

Raheem Sterling (age 24, contracted until 2023)

Arguably the greatest success story of Guardiola's City tenure, Sterling is now an indispensable attacking asset for club and country. The former Barcelona boss had long been keen on his star winger signing fresh terms before he settled upon a three-year extension in November 2018.

Forced to be a peripheral figure for much of the current campaign, De Bruyne was named City's Player of the Season in 2017-18. The Belgium midfielder's stellar form towards the back end of 2017 apparently had Europe's super clubs licking their lips, meaning his renewed commitment in January 2018 was a source of joy and relief for supporters.

Gabriel Jesus (age 21, contracted until 2023)

Brazil forward Jesus has perhaps not kicked on as expected from his emphatic introduction to life in Manchester in 2017, when he threatened to unseat Sergio Aguero as City's premier striker. Aguero's status is once again undisputed but a fresh contract signed last November showed Jesus remains an important part of City's future.

Phil Foden (age 18, contracted until 2024)

The jewel of City's much-vaunted academy system, Foden is yet to start a Premier League match but scored his sixth goal of the season as Schalke were demolished in the Champions League on Tuesday. Jadon Sancho, Brahim Diaz and Rabbi Matondo have all sought first-team opportunities elsewhere, but Stockport-born Foden is in it for the long haul with his boyhood club.